Diane wrote :
"Have I missed something about Angora
rabbit care?"
Um, no, you haven't missed a thing. Nobody I know feeds grain to angora
rabbits instead of pellets. Better than pellets, though, for prevention of
wool-block, is hay -- and plenty of it. They need all that fiber to keep
from developing wool-block. Some will give papaya enzyme tablets as well to
help dissolve ingested fiber (hair). Grain should be fed, if at all, in very
small quantities. Pellets should be high-protein; 16 or even 18% since they
grow prodigious quantities of fiber. It is my belief that they also need
plenty of fresh fruits and veggies (I think it's a myth perpetuated by the
pet-food manufacturers who state that fresh vegetables or fruits shouldn't
make up more than 10% of the rabbit's diet and the remaining 90% should be
pellets -- I beg to differ, but that's just me !) and always plenty of fresh
water, of course.
Sounds like the rabbit has hock sores and/or pasteurella and the owner is
grossly mistaken and needs to take some time to learn more before owning
Angoras. They are labor-intensive and there is quite a learning curve to
caring for them adequately. I've found English Angoras to be especially
difficult since they require constant brushing to avoid mats -- German
Angoras are said to mat less easily. I've experimented with different kinds
of cage-floor setups to help with hock sores/sanitation and have arrived at
a solution I'm really happy with. I'll elaborate if anyone wants to contact
me off-list.
Margot Grim
Grim's Faerytale Farm
Woodinville, WA
From: Diane Pinkers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: Fibernet List <[email protected]>
Subject: Angora bunny care
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:34:41 -0700 (PDT)
I was curious, those folks that raise Angora bunnies,
what do you feed your rabbits? I'm a veterinarian,
and I had a client bring me a bunny (totally filthy,
with sores on legs and other problems I won't get into
now), and the food she brought for the rabbit was a
grain mix. She told me that all the Angora breeders
she knows feed their bunnies grain instead of pellets,
to try to prevent wool block. Now, that seems
completely stupid to me, as rabbits are like little
horses, and need plenty of hay to keep their digestion
in top shape, and should only have pellets as a
supplement. Have I missed something about Angora
rabbit care?
Diane Pinkers, DVM
Raymond WA
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